Another Vintage Valentine block

As  my holiday’s come to a finish

&

my focus must go back to  preparing to go back to work, 

 I have completed another block .

so

 6 blocks done & the centre block done…

now

lets see how they will look on the wall

its been fun  getting them done

am happy with the results so far

I think the layout will have to be 4 across top row

With 2 underneath down each side of centre block.

Not sure I will fit more than that in.

maybe I’ll do  the remaining 4 blocks that should go underneath

  in a separate frame to go either side.

Have fun sewing

Kim

Vintage Valentine Centre Medallion

I am relatively new to quilting and patchwork but I have been sewing since I was 12

mainly clothing with the odd furnishing thrown in.

So when the opportunity became available for me to sew for fun,

my wonderful sister got me involved in quilting and patchwork.

 I have always admired her wonderful quilts over the walls and throughout her home

but never had the money or the time to indulge in a hobby.

 So over the past few years I slowly set up my  new sewing room

 with  new machines, equipment and of course started my stash cupboard.

I have taken a few courses with various local designers,

read lots,

practiced at lot,

 decided what I like

 &

 don't like.

But when I started on this wonderful journey I really wasn't sure what I wanted to sew,

 so

 I bought a lot of pre-package kits.

Each kit teaching me something new about this amazing craft,

 introducing me to a new designers

and

often new shop owners.

However,

I have mistakenly assumed that these kits include what is on  the pattern cover,

 and

 includes the fabrics displayed on its cover …

No No silly me to think the fabric would be the same.

Then the challenge begins for the beginner in this craft..

You have the pattern,

often supplied with a beautiful colour picture of what it will look like when finished 

 and

then you have  the fabric that was supplied in the kit !!!!!!!!

When you first look at your kit  you are all excited

&

 the fabrics look great

 and

 then you start on the learning journey

 of what fabric goes where..

what was the person thinking when they put this kit together….

 what was this fabric swapped for???

It really is a mystery tour…

sometimes fun

 sometimes so frustrating you give up,

  put it away

and

start another project.

This is what has happened as I work my way through the Vintage Valentine kit.

Some fabrics are the same

 or

very similar

 but

some fabrics I have no idea what they were supplied for….

so into my stash I go..

finding others that will go with what I  already have.

Having sorted  4 blocks in this quilt

 I decided I should do the centre block

before I  go too far

so I can get  the look I’m after with the main fabrics.

This is the photo I  have of the centre medallion sent with the kit

so

 off I go trying to match this with fabrics supplied…..

cant find vase fabric…..

flowers fabric nope….

bird fabric nope…mmm

ok

let the designer within come-out

 and

create with what I  have

Now, this is what I created,

 I have looked at this on my wall for 24 hours

 but it just didn't look right to me ..

so lucky I  had only fused the pieces down.

the vase is wrong…..

this is what I have changed it to 

so today it can stay on my wall,

  as I play with the other blocks.

The colours with the fabrics that I have been sent are a lot dark than the original kit

  but I am still loving the look.

This quilt is to go on my bedroom wall which is a dark burgundy in colour.

As I get a few more blocks done

I will audition them on my wall

 as I will have to change the layout as well as

 I have more width  than depth in the space I want to show it on,

  not a square space….

I will have to get creative  when piecing them together.

Do you use pre-package kits?

Are your kit fabrics different  to pictures supplied?

I would love to know your opinion of pre-package kits

Have fun sewing

Kim

Vintage Valentine Quilt

As  I  work my way through the blocks of this quilt,
 I am thinking there is an easier way to do this !!!!

the flower petals are driving me nuts they are so fiddley.

I think I bought something a few years ago at a fair that makes this easier…… 

(I am always buying some gadget at these fairs)

so off searching

I go through the drawers, cupboards..

mmmm  its a brown thingy I'm looking for….

yep found it..

an

Applique Mat

Now I  can remember being very impressed when I first seen this,
but instructions on the back of it are very basic.

So lets give it a go with the next block.

this will tested it out with all those little flower petals…..

Fabrics selected

block  instructions

1.  Flip the pattern  over & trace  the other side of the pattern with a dark marking pen,  ready to trace out shapes onto the applique fusing

2.  Select one fabric, then trace all the pieces that are using that fabric, onto the fusing webbing. E.g all the pieces using the  green check fabric.

Continue doing that for each fabric piece until all pieces have been traced onto the fusible webbing.

3. Iron fusible pieces onto the back of each fabric they correspond to.

All pieces fused ;-

I also mark the pattern shapes with its number and with a line on the side that will be underneath another piece of fabric on the block.

4. Trim around each piece  leaving  a narrow seam allowance that will slip under the connecting piece.

At this stage the paper backing is still attached to the pattern piece.

Next: I would then normally transfer the pattern to the fabric block  using a marker or lead pencil
 but
 using the applique mat there is no need to …( this saves time)

Examining the block, there are several components that make this block complete;
 several flower shapes as well as the hearts.

Create each flower separately  before putting them all together.

5. Select one flower component , find all the fabric pieces needed to make that flower.

I place the pattern right side up underneath the applique matt.
( you can see through the applique mat)

  then cut each piece out checking shape against  pattern and adjusting if necessary.

I use  my handing Clover Iron to iron the pieces into place.

To get pieces in correct order, the pattern has the sequence of numbers on each piece to tell you which piece to start with 
(always start with lowest number & build flower up finishing at highest number)

This step doesn't change whether you are hand appliqueing  or machine appliqueing.

6. Peel the paper off each  fabric piece  & in sequential order,  iron fabric down directly onto the applique matt,
with the fusible webbing going directly onto the mat
 &
 aligning each piece up with the pattern underneath.

now what makes this mat brilliant is:
  it doesn't melt
&
fusible webbing doesn't stick to it.
When it cools down
 the fabric peels off leaving the webbing intact
ready to fuse to your final fabric base.
The fusing only sticks to other fabric edges.

It is just brilliant.
Why haven't I used this before…

I forgot I had it!!!!!!!!

When the flower is created  & cooled  peel it off the mat
 

put aside and continue making all the components of the block in the same way.

then put the components together

Now ready to go on the block.

Completed fused block…. ready for machine blanket stitching.

Blocks done so far

8 blocks to go plus centre block

I  think I might fuse them all  down before stitching anymore…..

just so I can use that applique mat again.

So my review of the applique mat,

if you do fusible applique
&
you don't have one ,
go get one..

it is brilliant.

Kim

Vintage Valentine Update

Block 1 - all stitched

 

I have used a matching thread colour and small blanket stitch 

On my  Pfaff Quilt Expression 4

 its stitch 55 with width 2 & length 2.5

 I also adjusted tension down to 5

Because this pattern  was suppose to be hand stitch

 I have used the smallest blanket stitch & match thread colour

 so as the fabric is still the main star rather than using a contrasting thread & stitch.

The added firmness that the fusible applique webbing now gives the blocks will also assist the structure of final wall hanging.

Block 2

ready to stitch today

Info about  Pattern & Kit.
This quilt pattern comes from “The Vintage Spool”by Verna Mosquera.
Described by her as a “Romantic & Timeless Quilt Design”
I purchased the full kit  from Shabby Fabrics about 4-5 years ago.
Checking her website today it is currently sold out.

This is a link to Verna website
The Vintage Spool
where you can get the pattern as well as her current designs.

Planning not to get side-tracked

 and 

to get block 2 stitched

and

block 3 fused today.

Kim

Which project ???

I love  holidays

its when I get a chance to play with all my sewing toys & beautiful fabrics in my stash cupboard..

So which project to play with ????

I have so many projects started…

 I am  so easily side-tracked with starting a new project.

 

 Is anyone else like this?

I am on 2 weeks holidays,

weather here is perfect for spending in my sewing room,

 currently foggy and 6 degrees C in the mountains .

So at the weekend I started looking at  my projects,

Do I finish quilting "Home of the Heart" quilt ?

Do I finish my daughters wedding quilt, Windflowers ?

(she was married in July this year..oops)

I’m up to finishing the embroidery

or

Do I finish the backing quilt for "Purple ladies and their cats"…

Its half stitched, all the ladies and cats & flower are finished.

&

I  also have the wall art pictures

Love, Hope Faith,

to finish, they are all appliqued

and

I have started stitching them down,  but not finished.

Then

I found a kit I had bought on-line from Shabby Fabrics about 5 years ago.

Vintage Valentine

I just love their site, I  have purchased a few kits from them.

This was the first quilting kit I had bought, and restarted my quilting journey.

I have had several attempts at starting this.

The main problem is that its hand applique

( I’m not a lover of hand stitching,

( “Purple ladies & their cats” was hand stitching that was enough hand stitching for me)

I have always been a machine sewer

but have tried several times to change my mind on hand stitching  to no avail.

I had hand sewn a few pieces on …

organised the folder with all the instructions,

 organised which fabric was going where….

My love of this project is still strong

so

I found myself  unpicking the hand sewing

 &

decided that to finish this project,

  it needs to be

machine applique.

I turned the pattern pieces over,

 retraced shapes,

  re-pressed fabric,

iron on double sided fusible webbing to each piece

and

made the first block.

Today   I’ll blanket stitch it down!!!!

Stay tuned to see if I get side tracked again .

Kim